Putter head with magnetic weight adjusting means



31, 1968 J. R. WINKLEMAN 3,419,275

PUTTER HEAD WITH MAGNETIC WEIGHT ADJUSTING MEANS Filed on. 23, 1965 FIG-.1

FIGS

I NVENTOR.

Suseph fiwu'nkknun Attorney United States Patent 3,419,275 PUTTER HEAD WITH MAGNETIC WEIGHT ADJUSTING MEANS Joseph R. Winkleman, 3980 Highland Drive, Mogadore, Ohio 44260 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,256 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-171) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Golf putter has weight-adjusting plate for complemental magnetic attachment to rear face of putter head, and complementally interengageable means on plate and head retains plate against turning with respect to head. Plate has irregular cross-sectional shape disposing light and heavy thicknesses of plate predeterminately in relation to point of impact of ball with respect to putting face of putter head when plate is properly attached to same.

The present invention relates to golf clubs, and in particular relates to improvements in golf putter heads.

One object of the present invention is to provide a golf putter with quickly attachable and interchangeable means for varying the weight distribution of the putter head with respect to the point of impact of a golf ball with the head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter of the character described in which there are no screws or like fastening means, and which requires no tools for varying said weight distribution in the putter head.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying draw- 1ngs.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a golf putter embodying the features of the invention, and including variable weight distribution means;

FIGURE 2 is an edge vie-w thereof as seen from the right of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation corresponding to FIG- URE 1, but with the weight distribution means thereof inverted on the putter head to change the weight distribution;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a modified weight distribution means for interchangeable use on the club head of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 5 is an edge view of the weight distribution means as viewed from the right of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 5, illustrating another interchangeable weight distribution means for the putter head.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated a golf putter head 10 having an upturned socket portion 11 in which an elongated handle 12 is secured. A fiat forward face 13 of the head is used for impacting a golf ball in known manner in putting a ball. The rear side 14 of the head 10 is fiat, for complemental engagement thereof by flat face 15 of a plate-like weight 16 of substantially the same size and shape as the surface portion 14 of the head 10 engaged thereby. Plate 16 may be strongly magnetized so that it magnetically adheres tenaciously to the metal surface portion 14 of the head, and can only be separated from the same by use of strong manual force. Locking means includes laterally spaced protuberances 17, 17 on the plate 16 for complemental reception in recesses 18, 18 in the head surface 14, to prevent rotational movement of the plate on the head. The plate 16 may be of irregular cross-section, providing a rib-like formation 19 along the lower margin of the rear face of the same to 3,419,275 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 dispose the center of mass laterally of the impact point and in a direction toward an edge of the head. It may be preferred to have the rib-like portion 19 irregular both in shape and cross-section. In any event, the shape and the arrangement of the protuberances 19 are such that the plate may be manually separated from the head and remounted in inverted relation, as shown in FIGURE 3, if necessary to suit the Weight distribution requirements of a particular golfer.

In the same way, the modified plates 16a and 16b of FIGURES 4 to 6 are interchangeable with plate 16 in either of the two inverted conditions shown in FIGURE 1.

In use of the improved putter, the golfer may carry the several plates 16, 16a, and 16b in his pocket, or in the pocket of a golf bag. When he is ready to putt, he then selects a plate and applies it to the club head plate 14, as described above. The selection of a plate will generally be made according to the condition of the green, such as with reference to contour and smoothness of the turf, and to the distance of the ball from the cup. With practice, the golfer readily learns just where to concentrate the weight with regard to the point of impact of the golf ball with the face 13 of the club head 10.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf putter comprising: a putter head having a forward golf-ball putting face and a rear surface portion; an elongated handle extending from said head; a weightadjusting plate for said head; said plate and rear surface portion having complemental magnetic attraction means for magnetically attaching the plate to said head; said plate and said rear surface portion having variously complementally interengageable locking means thereon for retaining the plate against turning with respect to the head in selectively inverted positions of said magnetic attachment thereto; said plate having a center of mass offset laterally in a direction toward an edge of said putter head with respect to the normal point of impact of said putting face with a ball when the plate is magnetically retained in any said selected position of magnetic attachment in alignment with respect to said head.

2. A golf putter as in claim 1, said interengageable locking means being spaced protrusions variously engageable in spaced recesses in said inverted positions of said plate on the head to change the disposition of said center of mass of the plate with respect to said point of impact.

3. A golf putter as in claim 2, including a plurality of said plates having various different offsets of said center of mass and adapted to be interchangeably attached to said head by said magnetic attraction means.

4. A golf putter as in claim 1, wherein said offset center of mass is provided by an irregular cross-sectional shape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,178 5/1934 Spiker 273-169 X 1,139,985 5/1915 Legh 273-169 1,968,627 7/1934 Young 273-169 3,220,733 11/1965 Saleeby 273-171 3,310,309 3/1967 Moss 273-171 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 273-194, 174, 

